Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1887-01-29
Friend Ruth's Prejudice /.

Womans Journal
"a farm! Seventy acres! All of ou
own? Is thee sure, Patience, that thee
isn't dreamiug?"
Little Patience Plumb winked her
bright blue eyes again, to make more sure
that she was certainly and Individually
wide awake.
"No, Aunt Ruth" said she, II am moi
dreaming. Read the letter thyself"
And Aunt Ruth, setting her specta.
cles across her nose, took the folded
paper from Patience's hand and slowly
spelled out the words which heard from
other lips, had such fabulous sound.
Yes it was true. Guarded about with
legal phrases, there was the intelligence
that she, Ruth Plumb, who wove rag
carpets for livelihood, and contentedly
ate mush and milk when she could not
get beef and potatoes, was landed pro-
prietress now of farm up in Rhode
Island, which had belonged to one Ezra
Nuttipg, third or fourth cousin whom
she had never seen.
Little Patience looked at the elder
woman.
"Aunt Ruth" said she, "isn't thee J.
ing out to see it? And mayn't go with
theeT'
"Thee may go with me, little Pay"
said Miss Plumb, smiling, "but as for
going out to see it, railway journeys
cost money, and when We go we shall
stay"
"Will thee live there, Aunt Ruth ?"
cried Patience, with sparkling eyes.
Miss Plumb looked pathetically
around the little chamber, whose one
window was bedimmed by a monster
back wall.
II have always longed for a country
home, Patience" she said. "Thee has
always lived in the city; thee does
not know how a person feels who has
once stood on the hills and heard the
free wind roaring through the pine
trees"
So the loom was stopped, and the lit
tie cupboard door locked, and the two
women went to Nebasset, near which
rocky promontory, on the edge of the
sound, was situated the Nutting estate.
Not much of an estate after all. A
queer little brown house, like discolored
mushroom, huddle of barns, and
stone cellar hewn into the rocky side
Of beetlins hill, in which were ar
ranged rows of barrels on a sort of stone
shelf.
Miss Plumb peered inquiringly at
these barrels as, escorted by David
Lorn, a handsome sunburned young
giant who occupied the next farm, she
went over the property for the first time.
'What are those, Friend David?" she
asked doubtfully.
"Guess likely they'er cider" said d.
vid Lorn. "Old Nutting, he. made the
best cider fol- twenty miles around"
"Cider?' repeated Miss Plumb.
"Didn't you know that his was
famous cider farm ?' said David. didn't
you see the orchard Of apple trees on the
hill!'
Eyes, I saw them" said Miss Plumb, !
-''but did not realize their meaning. I !!
think, Friend David, thee may pull out J
the corks-"
"Bungs, We call en-" gently corrected
SLorn.
'Bungs, il thee prefers that title, and
let the baleful fluid flow away. I am pre-
JUDGED with an exceeding preju dice
against intoxicating liquors"
"There amt no harm in cider" pro
tested David Lorn.
"Touch not, taste not, handle not"
said Miss Plumb firmly. GAS to the ap-
pie orchard, it is not for me to criticise |
the kindly fruits of the earth, but |
could wish that they had been pasture |
fields or potatoe patches, or something |
less deleterious than they are" She
walked quietly on. David Lorn was
opening his mouth to demonstrate,
when Patience gently beckoned him to |
desist.
'.My Grandfather Plumb died of de-
iirium tremens," she whispered. "Aunt
Ruth cannot forget that. Thee will have
to let her have her own way"
David Lorn whistled low whistle.
"But anyhow" said he, ''there'n be a
deal of good vinegar lost If all this runs
to waste. say, Miss Plumb"
81 would prefer thee to call me Friend
Ruth" said the old lady mildly.
sit sounds pretty familiar, don't it?"
.apLrehensively observed David. "But
il you say so, so it shall be. I say,
Friend Ruth, if I'll go bail that this ERE
shan't none OF it be used for nothin' but
vinegar to be sold by the gallon, would
you Let me hev it at market pricei It's